Does DC have any chance at all - need honesty

[Anonymous]

DC never sat for the CogAt, sat for WISC and full scale IQ was 127. VC was 134. All other scores were 124-127. Processing speed was a dismal 100 though because he is special needs. He has ADHD.

Does he have a chance in hell of getting into the AAP program? His teachers and all administrative staff think he is gifted but what they would call twice exceptional.

What are my recourses?

[Anonymous]

I don't know the answer to your question, but if I were in your shoes my question would be is AAP the right program at this time for my child.

If he struggles that much with focus, would he be best served if you took this year to work on balancing his ADHD traits, through whatever treatment you are using, and see if he gets in next year?

If those score were 10 point higher I might look at it differently, but since they are at a level that will be much closer to the norm in the regular class than the norm in AAP, the challenge might not be the most beneficial for your child. What do you think? Are your reasons for asking about recourse because the school is pushing it, or because you think your child will thrive in a fast paced, more challenging classroom setting?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you should expect a high GBRS. Maybe do WISC and submit with appeal if he doesn't get in.

I'd also ask myself if AAP is best for DC.

[Anonymous]

My DC has ADHD and also scored a 100 on processing speed. He's in AAP in 5th grade and doing great. I think your DC has a chance.

[Anonymous]

Do you feel that your child is gifted or working far above the rest of the class?
Do you feel that he could manage his own work and behavior in a busy and fast-paced classroom of 30+ kids?

[Anonymous]

Does your school have a local level 4 class? If so, he could be
Assigned to that class and see how it goes. No stigma like having to switch schools if AAP doesn't work out. And the principal could pupil-Place him in the class without qualifying official for AAP.

[Anonymous]

I think you have a chance but not a strong one. It sounds like the scores this year are very high so the committee will be seeing alot of those. The committee really values the WISC (so our principal told us) and so even though you don't have the cogat they would probably guess that those scores would be around the same 127 level or lower, not enough to make the pool. If the GBRS is super high, 16, then maybe... but that is a hard GBRS to get from a committee.

I agree with the prior posts about whether the program is really best for DC. It is hard to know since you don't have experience with the program... but I am very surprised by the amount of committment my 3rd grader has had to put in this year. Multiple assignments at the same time and long term (2 -3 week) projects that you need to research on your own. I have to remind DC about work all the time and my DC doesn't have ADHD.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Yes, to answer previous PP's, we have thought and rethought whether the AAP program would be beneficial for him. He gets excellent grades for the most part. His teachers, past and present, think he understands far beyond most of the children in class.

Do I think he can manage his own work and behavior in a busy and fast paced classroom with 30+ children? No. He is getting an IEP.

I read on the FCPS web site about how Fairfax County has a policy of not just accepting, but embracing, twice exceptional children and taking measures to provide accommodations for them. But haven't actually seen any children that are definitively twice exceptional in AAP.

He's not on any meds but when the academic rigor increases such as after 4th grade, we would consider meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read on the FCPS web site about how Fairfax County has a policy of not just accepting, but embracing, twice exceptional children and taking measures to provide accommodations for them. But haven't actually seen any children that are definitively twice exceptional in AAP.

How many children have you actually seen in AAP, twice exceptional or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read on the FCPS web site about how Fairfax County has a policy of not just accepting, but embracing, twice exceptional children and taking measures to provide accommodations for them. But haven't actually seen any children that are definitively twice exceptional in AAP.

How many children have you actually seen in AAP, twice exceptional or not?

I have known two AAP children with ADHD (I'm not the OP, BTW). I'm not sure how the younger one is doing, but the older one needed school-provided tutoring throughout her tenure and is still having serious problems turning in homework in middle school. I always wondered if it was fair to put those extra resources toward this child rather than bump up a child with a slightly lower score who was better able to manage his or her time.

Before I get flamed, I have a child with ADHD and I've referred him for AAP this year. We will be VERY careful about not placing him in an environment in which he can't succeed. Unfortunately, there is not much transparency about how the centers operate and what their expectations are until you actually get well into the process. So we'll start with the center referral and then work back to Level III if need be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
How many children have you actually seen in AAP, twice exceptional or not?

I have known two AAP children with ADHD (I'm not the OP, BTW). I'm not sure how the younger one is doing, but the older one needed school-provided tutoring throughout her tenure and is still having serious problems turning in homework in middle school. I always wondered if it was fair to put those extra resources toward this child rather than bump up a child with a slightly lower score who was better able to manage his or her time.

I'm the parent of two AAP students (6th and 4th grades), both with ADHD. Each of them have a 504 plan, primarily to address distractions in the classroom. They are both doing beautifully in AAP.

Not that it matters, but both students were found Center-eligible in the first round and were in-pool. We did provide WISC-IV scores with the optional parent questionnaire. (The WISC-IV testing was done as part of the ADHD diagnosis process.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
How many children have you actually seen in AAP, twice exceptional or not?

I have known two AAP children with ADHD (I'm not the OP, BTW). I'm not sure how the younger one is doing, but the older one needed school-provided tutoring throughout her tenure and is still having serious problems turning in homework in middle school. I always wondered if it was fair to put those extra resources toward this child rather than bump up a child with a slightly lower score who was better able to manage his or her time.

(fixing my error with the quotes)


I'm the parent of two AAP students (6th and 4th grades), both with ADHD. Each of them have a 504 plan, primarily to address distractions in the classroom. They are both doing beautifully in AAP.

Not that it matters, but both students were found Center-eligible in the first round and were in-pool. We did provide WISC-IV scores with the optional parent questionnaire. (The WISC-IV testing was done as part of the ADHD diagnosis process.)

[Anonymous]

I cannot comment on whether the scores would be enough, but we had a lot of focus and attention issues with my DS through 2nd grade. DS's second grade teacher thought he might be "twice exceptional." Once he entered the AAP program in third grade this year and was really challenged in class, all of the attention issues went away. Even when I asked his third grade teacher about it, she said there were no issues. He might have matured considerably between June and September, but I can't help but think that the challenge of the AAP is keeping him focused. This is just one data point to you in considering whether the AAP is right for your DC.

[Anonymous]

Strong GBRS can get your child in with those scores, OP. We didn't have a WISC but my child's scores were all in the 120's & got in b/c teacher felt very strongly that DC belonged in AAP & it was reflected in the GBRS.

[Anonymous]

ITA. I think that if your teacher and admin have indicated that they feel AAP is a good fit, that would probably indicate that the GBRS will reflect this. I think a high GBRS would likely sway the decision, if it is deemed the WISC scores were not quite high enough. (not sure of any official cutoff). If your child is already identified as having ADHD, and the teachers feel this is a good fit, I think you might be in good shape, if you think it is the right fit. We had the experience that a child who had not yet been identified as ADHD had behaviors (distractability, impulsivity, etc.) that came across as lack of interest, etc. even though his grades were great, as were his FCPS in pool test scores.

Fast forward one year to a 3rd grade teacher who really seemed to understand him, and she said "why is he not in AAP?" Feeling she would be strong advocate, we parent referred in 3rd, and he started his first year in AAP this year. Incidentally, we also just finished the ADHD evaluation process, and 504 plan process as well. At our 504 meeting, I specifically asked the question "Do you think that the AAP environment is too much for my son with ADHD. Every person (they had his test scores, DRA, etc.) said "No". They all agreed he was where he should be academically. If they felt I should pull him, I would have.